Full moon

  As the days went by, Mingfei's activity time became less and less. Only when the crown prince came would she be willing to take a walk in the garden. The imperial nanny kept saying: "The crown prince is still good, if it weren't for the crown prince coming, Her Majesty wouldn't even want to move."

  The young prince's spirits rose even higher upon hearing this.

  It's only a matter of one or two days before Mingfei gives birth in the tenth month. During this time, although her mother-in-law, He Sheli, sent someone to invite her over, she declined. Now that their family is prospering and people are coming and going frequently, it's easy to arouse the emperor's suspicion. She would rather keep a low profile and suffer some hardship than put her child's life in danger.

  The weather gradually cooled down, and the Empress Dowager finally agreed to bring the Grand Empress Dowager down from Mount Wutai. Mingfei was a big belly and couldn't do anything, but when the time came, she had to go together to welcome them at Xihua Gate. It wasn't until the end of October that the Grand Empress Dowager finally returned.

  The eunuch who had been sent to report back arrived with the message, and the Emperor notified the consorts with a good reputation to hurry to the Gate of Divine Purity, where they would accompany him in welcoming the Empress Dowager.

  Peyu and Peihuan helped Mingfei put on her clothes one by one, and the dresser was filled with dozens of beautiful hairpins and accessories. Mingfei frowned and looked at herself, feeling that she might be overwhelmed, and even wearing these clothes made her stomach ache. Her brow furrowed even more tightly, Peyu and Peihuan thought they had not served well enough to satisfy Mingfei, so their movements became even more nervous, and all the palace maids and eunuchs in the room remained silent.

  Mingfei felt that her stomach was aching strangely today, and a layer of sweat had seeped out on her smooth forehead. Just then, Peihuan and Peiyu were about to help Mingfei up when she suddenly let out a cry, startling all the palace maids and eunuchs into kneeling down.

  "Your Majesty's water has broken, quickly help the queen into the delivery room!"

  All the other consorts have arrived at the Qianqing Gate, but only Consort Tong has not arrived. Kangxi's face is somewhat unpleasant, and Consort Yi says softly: "Consort Tong is becoming more and more arrogant."

  Kangxi frowned and glanced at Yihuan, who secretly smiled in her heart.

  Huibin stood by and watched her big brother, who was now six years old and had moved to the brothers' quarters, rarely seeing each other.

  Rong Gui's third brother is still being raised in the household of a high-ranking official.

  Kangxi looked at Ruyi and said somewhat displeased: "Go and hurry up Empress Nian!"

  Just after finishing speaking, a small eunuch from the Changchun Palace came running over and knelt down on the ground, saying: "Your Majesty, the Imperial Consort has just given birth!"

  Kangxi was taken aback and immediately asked in a somewhat anxious tone: "Is the Imperial Consort all right?"

  Xiao Taijian said: "According to what Mother Li said, the body of the noble consort is very good and she will soon give birth to a young prince."

  Kangxi let out a soft breath and said: "Let all the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital go to the Changchun Palace to wait!"

  Several concubines heard Kangxi's words, feeling uneasy in their hearts and rubbing their handkerchiefs. The emperor was indeed good to the noble consort, after all, they were cousins, not someone else could compare to that.

  The Empress Dowager Ci Xi was already advanced in years, with a head full of silver hair, but her complexion looked truly ruddy and healthy. As she walked, every step seemed to generate wind, without the slightest hint of age. In comparison, the other imperial consorts appeared less vigorous than the Empress Dowager. When they saw Lan Xiang supporting the Empress Dowager as she stepped down from the carriage, Kang Xi immediately knelt down, and the voices of the imperial consorts and officials paying their respects rose up at once.

  The Empress Dowager personally helped Kangxi up and he smiled, saying: "Old Ancestor has returned, I hope you have suffered for blessings."

  The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "Where is the hardship? You don't know the comfort of our ancestors. Lan Xiang is clever and serves me in a way that feels incredibly comfortable."

  Kangxi smiled and looked at Lan Xiang, saying: "What do you want? The emperor will grant it to you in a moment."

  Lan Xiang had been searching for her foster mother since she got off the carriage, and when she saw that Tong Guifei was not there, a lot of bad thoughts surged in her heart. She thought that something must have happened to Tong Guifei, and with a forced smile on her face, she said: "The daughters favored by the Emperor are all liked."

  The little prince stood beside Kangxi like a little adult, and Xiaozhuang smiled and bent down to pick him up: "It's been so long since I've seen Ah Ji's little Yunreng, I really miss him. Come on, let's get in the carriage with Old Ancestor."

  The Empress Dowager returned to the palace, which was a big deal. The atmosphere in the palace was festive and joyful, like a holiday. The Emperor accompanied by his consorts escorted the Empress Dowager and the Empress back to the Cining Palace together.

  After chatting with everyone for a while, Xiaozhuang let the concubines go down and kept Kangxi saying: "Why didn't I see Consort Tong today, is she unwell?"

  Lan Xing immediately perked up her ears and listened carefully.

  Kangxi pinched Xiaozhuang's shoulder and said: "After all, it is the old ancestor, who can predict things like a god."

  Lan Xiang finally put her mind at ease, but for a moment she was worried again, and didn't know how her mother would be.

  Xiang Zhuang smiled and said: "I understand the character of Tong Jia's family, if it wasn't for this, I wouldn't have seen him today." She then turned to Su Mei standing beside her and said: "Let someone go and take a look, see how things will turn out. I'll go in to burn incense for Buddha."

  "Go ahead with your own business."

  Kangxi agreed.

  Before she could withdraw, a small palace maid came in and said: "Empress Dowager, Empress, and Your Majesty, Consort Tongjia has given birth to a robust and healthy little prince!"

  Xiao Zhuang was taken aback, then smiled and said: "Good, good, good! Consort Tong is not bad, not bad at all. Su Mo, pack more of the best wild ginseng, and as for other rewards, add two portions to each!"

  Lan Xiang's eyes rolled and she said, "Today, the old ancestor returned from Mount Wutai, and Mother gave birth to a little prince. It can be seen that the old ancestor is carrying good fortune on his body. I just hope that the old ancestor will let me follow him for a few more days, so I can bask in some of this good fortune!"

  Xiangzhuang smiled with a closed mouth, and Kangxi and the Empress Dowager also chimed in with kind words, making Xiangzhu feel more at ease. Before even seeing the Fourth Prince, she had already developed some goodwill towards him.

  Mingfei didn't expect to give birth to a son so quickly, and the baby didn't have any wrinkles at all. His hair was thick and dense, his skin looked white and tender, and even the blood vessels could be seen. When he started drinking milk, the strength in his small mouth was quite great, and after a while, he had enough and snuggled into Mingfei's arms to sleep soundly.

  Kangxi and Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang each sent their attendants to pay their respects to her, and gifts poured in continuously into Mingfei's Changchun Palace.

  Because Fourth Brother is the son of the Imperial Consort, the third day's banquet was also a few degrees higher in standard than that of other brothers. It was only then that Ming Fei saw her own mother, He Shi Li Shi, and three-year-old younger sister, Ming Lan.

  He Xier's face, not too old and rich, had a pair of bright and eye-catching eyes, similar to Ming Fei. The slightly upturned lip corners seemed to carry a few smiles, but also seemed to be a serious arc. Wearing a large red official uniform, walking with a straight posture, the phoenix hairpin on her head was both luxurious and gorgeous. As the sunlight shone brightly, Ming Lan followed behind He Xier, also walking in a straight line. Even the serious expression on her face had a few similarities, but the small child's chubby little face with such an expression only made people feel cute.

  Before He Xie could even finish speaking, Ming Fei was helped up by someone, took out a handkerchief to dab at her eyes, and with reddened eyes called out: "Mother."

  He Xieli also loved her daughter dearly and had red eyes, but comforted Mingfei by saying: "You don't have to be like this, you're fine, it's not auspicious to cry during the postpartum period."

  Xiao Minglan called out from the side with her head raised: "Elder Sister Guifei."

  This absurd name made both of them laugh, Mingfei gestured to Peiyu to bring Minglan over and sit her down in front of herself, stroking Xiaojia: "Is Minglan well-behaved at home?"

  Xiao Ming said: "Minglan is well-behaved."

  Mingfei smiled and stroked her cheek again, handing her a fruit from beside him to eat.

  He Xie Li looked at the two sisters being intimate and was also happy. Ming Fei had someone take Ming Lan down before talking to He Xie Li about serious matters.

  He Xier sighed and said: "Why didn't you let Mother Empress enter the palace those days?"

  Ming Fei lowered her head and said: "I don't want it to be like this either, but the prince is still young."

  He Xie frowned, then nodded: "Your mother also said this at home. Among the several brothers nowadays, except for the crown prince, the fourth brother's status is the highest. The emperor will probably be on guard."

  Yes, the emperor will also have his guard up. The current Fourth Prince is a double-edged sword. If used well, he can control the Tong family, but if not, the first to be threatened would be the Crown Prince. It's possible that it could stir up turmoil in the imperial court.

  She clenched her fists and said: "Elder sister, it's not easy to be a person in the imperial family, you must never let my younger sister come in too, having me is enough."

  He Xieli's eyes turned red again, and she pulled Mingfei's hand, saying: "My child has suffered!"

  Mingfei shook her head: "I already have four elder brothers, and even if I were to suffer, if my sister also entered the palace, I'm afraid that as long as the Emperor uses a bit of strategy, we would only be played with at will. Have you thought about the consequences of two children from the Tong surname becoming imperial consorts? The Tong family would split into two factions and fight each other, the Emperor would sit back and watch the tigers fight, waiting to reap the benefits, and in the end, it would all come crashing down. If it's for the good of the Tong family, then absolutely do not let my sister enter the palace, there are no kind sisters here."

  He Xieli's heart felt sour and uncomfortable, she clenched her handkerchief and nodded: "What you said, Mother will definitely tell your father, Mother doesn't want your sisters to suffer like this either."

  The two of them said a few words, and Mingfei suddenly said: "Shi Lang led the troops to suppress the water bandits, and also brought troops to train the naval forces. The Emperor is probably thinking of attacking Taiwan, you should be careful, Ama."

  He nodded and thought that his daughter was still in confinement after childbirth, but she had to worry about such things, and he felt sad again.

  Just as they were talking, the fourth son was brought back from outside. The wet nurse's face looked joyful, indicating that things had gone smoothly outside. Mingfei smiled and picked up her sleeping son, asking the wet nurse, "How was it?"

  The wet nurse smiled and said: "Fourth Brother cried loudly when he should cry, and was quiet when he shouldn't, allowing people to hold him. The Empress Dowager even praised Fourth Brother's appearance, saying that he was born with such fair skin, and Concubine Yi added that children are usually so small at this age but his skin is already so white and tender."

  Mingfei took a deep breath and looked at the delighted wet nurse, saying: "I said that Fourth Brother was just like any other child from birth, didn't you remember?"

  The wet nurse suddenly realized that she had angered her master, and her face turned pale in an instant. She knelt down on the ground and kowtowed, saying: "This servant was just thinking that this matter is a good thing... why not let others know? When Concubine Yi spoke, this servant did not speak up, nothing else was said."

  Mingfei closed her eyes and said to Peiyu beside her: "Close it first."

  Pei Yu nodded and two small eunuchs came over and dragged her away immediately.

  He Xiaoli let out a sigh, looking at her small and plump grandson, who was round and sturdy. As long as he was taken care of well, growing up would not be a problem. Just then, some palace maids came to invite He Xiaoli, saying that the banquet had started. He Xiaoli stuffed some silver notes into Mingfei's hands before taking Minglan away.

  Soon, Lan Xiang sneaked over again. She was a clever and agile girl who looked at Ming Fei with great affection. Ming Fei felt the same way about her. When she heard that Lan Xiang often spoke well of her to Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang without leaving any traces, she decided that if she were to stage a "Qiong Yao drama" in the future, Lan Xiang would be someone she could rely on for help.

  It wasn't until nightfall that the noisy Changchun Temple finally quieted down.

  Mingfei, having some free time, was already mostly recovered and was chatting with Wang Nai Nai and a few others on the kang: "Find an excuse to get rid of that wet nurse today, considering Fourth Brother has been fed by her for a few days, let Huang Ziqiang from the Inner Affairs Department not lay a hand on her."

  "Still, Master is kind."

  Mingfei stroked her son's little face, and the expression on her face finally softened: "I am a person who distinguishes between rewards and punishments."

  Many people are busy saying yes.

  The rules in the palace are strict, and Mingfei cannot sleep with her son at night. Mingfei does not dare to openly defy them, as there is no wall that does not leak air, and if it gets out, their lives will be controlled by others. She kissed her son and dripped a few drops of holy water from the palace into his mouth.

  "Did you check if the people around Fourth Brother are all in order these past two days?"

  "The host's words are all settled, and there is no one else behind him."

  Ming Fei nodded: "In front of the Fourth Brother, you can never relax at any time. If there is a slight abnormality, you must tell me. Everyone who called in front of the Fourth Brother, come in."

  Mingfei glanced at the people kneeling on the ground, took a few sips of the clear spring water in space, and put down the Qinghua porcelain tea bowl: "I only have one son, he is more precious than my life..."

  She slowly stroked the jade ring on her hand and said slowly: "If the Fourth Prince made a slight mistake..."

  The slaves on the ground were shocked by this wave of twists and turns, and their hearts were lifted high.

  "I not only want you to follow me in suffering, but also your family members to suffer together! I know some people will be held hostage by their family members to threaten them, but if the Fourth Prince really gets into trouble, you and your family members will all follow him to the grave! So don't have any illusions, what I say is what I do, but if someone wants to buy you out, use your family members to threaten you, tell me or there's still a chance to save them, don't tell me, then there's only one way left - death!"

  The slaves on the ground kept kowtowing: "We will never have a second heart!"

  Ming Fei smiled faintly: "Later, I'll have your family members registered and recorded, and I'll arrange for someone to protect them, so threatening things probably won't happen."

  It's called protection, but in fact it's control, and everyone is busy kowtowing.

  Mingfei leaned against the headrest and looked at everyone on the ground: "I will give each of you twenty taels, this is just the beginning. As long as Fourth Brother is well, all of you are meritorious ministers, and what I reward will not be limited to these."

  The slaves had a glimmer of hope in their hearts, but were grasped by the root and obediently thanked them.

  This majestic display of benevolence and authority made Wang's heart swell with pride, as she watched the fourth prince being led away to the warm pavilion. Wang personally attended to Mingfei's rest: "Master is becoming increasingly mature."

  When Ming Fei looked at Wang Niangniang, a warm smile would appear on her face: "You all have your own children now."

  Wang's aunt stuffed the soup bag under Mingfei's feet: "Just thinking about being a mother is still better to relax, so that your body can recover faster."

  Mingfei smiled and nodded, watching as Wang's aunt lowered the purple curtain from the golden gourd hook, layer by layer revealing the hazy light outside. Before long, the entire room was plunged into darkness. Only then did Mingfei flash into the space, eat some fruit, take a bath, practice her skills for a while, and rest in the house within the space.

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